Search Flights from San Jose to Los Angeles

Popular Airport

Citicorp Airport

Popular Airlines

Approximate Flight Duration

5 hour 20 min

Approximate Travel Distance

4383 Km

Cheapest San Jose to Los Angeles Flight Tickets

American Airlines
19 Dec, Thu
02:50 PM
San Jose - Los Angeles
1 stop
9h 19m
SJO-LAX
8.867 TL
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
3 Jan, Fri
08:15 AM
San Jose - Los Angeles
Non-stop
6h 24m
SJO-LAX
21.029 TL
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
4 Jan, Sat
08:15 AM
San Jose - Los Angeles
Non-stop
6h 24m
SJO-LAX
22.429 TL
Delta Air Lines
Find cheap flights

Transportation to Airport from San Jose City Center

Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport

Juan Santamaria International Airport is located 11 miles of San Jose, which is the capital and one of the most developed cities of Costa Rica. The transportation alternatives that you can use to get to the airport from the city center are bus, taxi, car rental and shuttles of the tour operators. Taxis are among the best options that you can prefer since they offer transportation service without any destination or time limitation. Passengers who want to travel for more affordable fares can benefit from the buses that carry passengers to Juan Santamaria International Airport from morning hours to evening hours. You can also benefit from the car rental alternative for travelling from the city center to the airport. You can also use the car you have rented for travelling in and around the city. It is possible to find many car rental offices in the center and at the airport. However, if you need to travel during the crowded seasons, you can make a reservation before your travel by getting in contact with one of the car rental companies in order not to have trouble in finding a car.

Bus

The buses operating between San Jose city center and Juan Santamaria International Airport are the most economical vehicles you can use for your transportation to the airport. The buses depart near the Nuestra Señora de La Merced Catholic Church in the center. Buses start operating at early hours and after midnight you cannot be able to find a bus. For this reason, if you need to travel to the airport from the city center at a late hour, you can prefer getting on a taxi or renting a car in advance. If the place you are staying in is close to the bus stop in the city center and you need to travel in the daytime, you can choose the bus option which is nearly as fast as taxis and have a chance to travel for a much more affordable cost. You can buy your bus ticket when you come to the stop and continue your travel directly to the airport. If you need to get to the airport from one of the beaches located in the regions like Puntarenas and Guanacaste, you can get on one of the buses carrying passengers on these routes. Traveling to the airport from San Jose city center lasts about 35-40 minutes. The travel from the other points near the center varies between 20-40 minutes depending on their proximity to the airport.

Taxi

Taxis, which you can easily find at many points of San Jose city center, are among the fastest alternatives that you can benefit from when travelling to the airport. The distance between the city center and airport is about 11 miles and at the end of this distance the taxi fares don’t increase much. If your hotel is located in the center, you can ask your hotel to call a taxi for you or you can get on one of the passing taxis. One of the biggest advantages of taxis is that you have a chance to find a taxi anywhere and anytime you want without any limitation. If you need to travel to Juan Santamaria Airport from a location that is far from the center and airport, you can still use the taxi option but you should keep in mind that the fare you will pay will be higher depending on the distance. In this case, you can evaluate other transportation alternatives such as the shuttles of tour operators or you can bargain with the driver on the fare before getting on the taxi and travel to the airport comfortably without paying too much.

Car Rental

In the center, many international car rental companies such as Alamo, Hertz, Budget and Enterprise or alternative companies such as Solid, Apex, Nu and Payless offer car rental service for the passengers who want to travel to the airport in a comfortable way. After renting your car in the city center, you can reach the airport terminal in about 20-30 minutes by following the airport direction signs. You can deliver your car at the airport by preferring a car rental company which has also an office at the airport. In addition, you can get in contact with one of the companies in advance and learn whether you can deliver the car at the airport or not. If you want to rent a car in the city, you will need certain documents such as a driver’s license valid in the country and passport. While renting a car, you should bring these documents with you. After renting your car, you can take a city map with you in order to find your way more easily.

Tour Operator Shuttle

In the city, the companies such as Interbus and Gray Line Airport Express offer a different transportation alternative for the transportation to the airport from the city center. Travelling with the shuttles of tour operators is ideal and affordable for crowded groups and those travelling for business purpose. The fares of these shuttles can vary depending on the distance and the number of passengers. If you want to take advantage of these shuttles, you should get in contact with one of the companies in advance and make a reservation. As you can use these shuttles for travelling to the airport from the city center, you can also use them for travelling to different regions of Costa Rica or other countries.

Airport Information

Juan Santamaria Airport which connects San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, with many different parts of the country and world, offers a great and comfortable atmosphere for its guests with shopping, eating and drinking opportunities as well as recreational areas. You can buy souvenirs by visiting Vida Pura located within the airport terminal or spend time by taking a glance at gift alternatives. Colibrí Craft Store, Green Trails, Casa Tica and Morpho Store Britt Shop Costa Rica are other options you can evaluate at the airport. Duty Free shops located in different parts of the airport are waiting for passengers who want to buy perfume, souvenir, alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink or chocolate for budget-friendly prices. If you want to have a snack before leaving the airport, you can visit Q Corner by Quiznos, Teriyaki Experience, Smashburger, Cinnabon or Quiznos to Go. If you have enough time and enjoy eating or drinking in a good place, you can prefer Bar 45° GastroPub, Malinche Restaurant or Café Lavazza. You can benefit from the free internet connection in many parts of the airport while waiting for your flight. If you need to make money transfer or perform any other banking transactions, you can find BAC San Jose, Bancredito, Global Exchange, Scotiabank, Citibank and ATH branches or ATMs at the airport terminal. The recreational areas and passenger lounges are among the areas where you can spend time on comfortable seats while waiting for your flight. If you need to park your car at Juan Santamaria Airport, you can use the parking area of the airport which has a capacity of 400 vehicles. The fees of this parking area which you can benefit from daily, weekly or monthly can vary depending on these periods.

Transportation to Los Angeles City Center from Airport

Citicorp Airport

Los Angeles International Airport is located 24 km from the city center. There are a variety of transportation alternatives to get to the city center and its surrounding areas from the airport, including buses, trains, taxis, and rental cars. The LAX Shuttle buses provide transportation between terminals. These shuttle buses also provide service to public transportation stops near the airport like trains and buses.

LAX Shuttle

The LAX Shuttle buses are free and accessible in front of each terminal at the airport. There are three LAX Shuttle bus lines. The “A” Shuttle operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and runs every 10 minutes, departing from in front of the terminals and providing transportation between the airport’s nine terminals. The “C” Shuttle provides transportation between the terminals and Parking Lot C. Parking Lot C is also the LAX City Bus Center bus stop. The “G” Shuttle provides transportation between the terminals and the Metro Green Line Aviation Station. So if you want to take the bus or metro the shuttle buses that depart in front of the terminals provide free transportation to the closest metro or bus stop.

Metro

The Los Angeles Metro Network consists of trains that travel both aboveground and underground. The Metro Green Line passes by the Aviation/LAX Station, which is in very close proximity to the airport. You can access this station by using the “G” LAX Shuttle bus, which departs in front of the airport terminals.

The Metro Green Line operates between Norwalk and Redondo Beach. It doesn’t go to the city center. However, you can transfer to other metro lines from the Green Line depending on where in the city you are going to go. For example, to get to Union Station you have to switch lines twice. You might prefer to take the metro since it avoids traffic and is an affordable transportation option.

In addition, depending on your final destination in the city, the metro might be the best method of transportation. We recommend taking a look at the map of the metro lines and routes on the internet or at the airport.

To take the metro in Los Angeles you need to purchase a TAP card. The TAP card is an electronic ticket used for fare payment. According to your travel needs you can purchase monthly, weekly, and daily TAP cards.  

Bus

LAX Shuttle “C” departs from in front of the terminals everyday day of the year and provides free transportation to Parking Lot C. From Parking Lot C the LAX City Bus Center is a short walk away. There are many buses that depart from this bus stop and go to many different parts of the city.

You can take the Big Blue Bus R3 line to get to Santa Monica, the Culver City Bus R6 line to get to Westwood, the LADOT Commuter Express 574 line to get to Slymar Metrolink Station, or travel in the opposite direction to El Segundo, or take the LADOT 438 line to Redondo Beach. To get to Torrance you can take the Torrance Transit T8 bus.

Airport Shuttle Buses

Every day of the week the FlyAway buses depart from in front of the terminals every 30 minutes and provide transportation to the city center or other places in Los Angeles. Follow the FlyAway signs at the airport, which will lead you to the FlyAway bus stop in front of the terminal where you can easily access the bus. The FlyAway airport shuttle service is the most practical and most widely used way to get to your destination in the city. These shuttle buses go to Union Station, Van Nuys in San Fernando Valley, Westwood, Santa Monica, and Hollywood. You can find out which bus goes to which destination by checking the signs on the bus. FlyAway buses feature a sign for which location it serves. These buses offer non-stop transportation to these destinations.

Under normal conditions the bus to the center of Los Angeles from the airport takes about 35-40 minutes. However this can vary depending on the traffic conditions. Ticket prices are a bit more expensive than other public transportation alternatives but they are quite reasonable considering the fact that these buses provide practical and non-stop services. Those who wish can buy round-trip tickets, which are valid for 30 days. You can purchase tickets from the self-service ticket machines or pay with a credit card on the bus. Let us remind you that you cannot purchase a ticket with cash on the bus.  

Taxi

Taxis are available at the front of the arrivals hall of each terminal. If you follow the yellow taxi signs you can easily find the cab stop. Taxis are a bit costly but they are a comfortable method of transportation since they take you directly to where you need to go. As it is in many cities, if you are going to take a cab we recommend taking an official airport taxi.

Rental Car

Renting a car at Los Angeles International Airport is another convenient way to get to the city center. There are various rental car companies located in Parking Lot C, such as Dollar, Fox, Hertz, National Car Rental, Alamo, Avis, Advantage, Payless, Thrifty, and Budget. You can get to Parking Lot C by taking LAX Shuttle “C”. If you call head of time some rental car companies will send a vehicle and drive you to this parking lot for free. Renting a car is always a good choice for a more flexible travel itinerary. Los Angeles is a city that was made for driving, the roads are wide and parking is easy and convenient, so renting a car is a great option.

Airport Information

Los Angeles International Airport, also referred to as LAX, is the 7th busiest airport in the world and the largest and busiest airport in not only the Greater Los Angeles Area but in all of California. It is an extremely modern and organized airport that handles a significant portion of international flights in Southern California. There are 9 terminals at the airport. 8 of those 9 terminals are numbered, such as Terminal 1, Terminal 2, etc. The international terminal at LAX is the Tom Bradley International Terminal. The Tom Bradley International Terminal operates a large number of international flights.

Los Angeles International Airport offers a wide variety of venues when it comes to eating and drinking and shopping. If you are flying out of Tom Bradley International Terminal and want to grab a bite to eat you can dine at places like the Daily Grill, El Paseo, McDonald’s, Marina Bar, Sushi Boy, Starbucks, Pinkberry, 800 Degrees Pizza, and more.

This terminal also has many boutiques such as Burberry, DFS Duty Free, Gucci, Hermes, Michael Kors, Emporio Armani, and Victoria’s Secret. The terminal also contains many Duty Free shops. The Tom Bradley International Terminal is the terminal that features the widest variety of restaurants, cafes, bars, and stores.

It is also the terminal that contains the most lounges. Some of the lounges located in the terminal include the Star Alliance Lounge, Sky Team Alliance Lounge, Oneworld Alliance Lounge, ElAl King David Lounge and Relax Lounge. If you want to use the internet at the airport you can do so for a certain fee. You can connect for an unlimited daily or unlimited monthly fee or hourly fee.


Los Angeles Intl. Airport

Los Angeles International Airport is located 24 km from the city center. There are a variety of transportation alternatives to get to the city center and its surrounding areas from the airport, including buses, trains, taxis, and rental cars. The LAX Shuttle buses provide transportation between terminals. These shuttle buses also provide service to public transportation stops near the airport like trains and buses.

LAX Shuttle

The LAX Shuttle buses are free and accessible in front of each terminal at the airport. There are three LAX Shuttle bus lines. The “A” Shuttle operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and runs every 10 minutes, departing from in front of the terminals and providing transportation between the airport’s nine terminals. The “C” Shuttle provides transportation between the terminals and Parking Lot C. Parking Lot C is also the LAX City Bus Center bus stop. The “G” Shuttle provides transportation between the terminals and the Metro Green Line Aviation Station. So if you want to take the bus or metro the shuttle buses that depart in front of the terminals provide free transportation to the closest metro or bus stop.

Metro

The Los Angeles Metro Network consists of trains that travel both aboveground and underground. The Metro Green Line passes by the Aviation/LAX Station, which is in very close proximity to the airport. You can access this station by using the “G” LAX Shuttle bus, which departs in front of the airport terminals.

The Metro Green Line operates between Norwalk and Redondo Beach. It doesn’t go to the city center. However, you can transfer to other metro lines from the Green Line depending on where in the city you are going to go. For example, to get to Union Station you have to switch lines twice. You might prefer to take the metro since it avoids traffic and is an affordable transportation option.

In addition, depending on your final destination in the city, the metro might be the best method of transportation. We recommend taking a look at the map of the metro lines and routes on the internet or at the airport.

To take the metro in Los Angeles you need to purchase a TAP card. The TAP card is an electronic ticket used for fare payment. According to your travel needs you can purchase monthly, weekly, and daily TAP cards.  

Bus

LAX Shuttle “C” departs from in front of the terminals everyday day of the year and provides free transportation to Parking Lot C. From Parking Lot C the LAX City Bus Center is a short walk away. There are many buses that depart from this bus stop and go to many different parts of the city.

You can take the Big Blue Bus R3 line to get to Santa Monica, the Culver City Bus R6 line to get to Westwood, the LADOT Commuter Express 574 line to get to Slymar Metrolink Station, or travel in the opposite direction to El Segundo, or take the LADOT 438 line to Redondo Beach. To get to Torrance you can take the Torrance Transit T8 bus.

Airport Shuttle Buses

Every day of the week the FlyAway buses depart from in front of the terminals every 30 minutes and provide transportation to the city center or other places in Los Angeles. Follow the FlyAway signs at the airport, which will lead you to the FlyAway bus stop in front of the terminal where you can easily access the bus. The FlyAway airport shuttle service is the most practical and most widely used way to get to your destination in the city. These shuttle buses go to Union Station, Van Nuys in San Fernando Valley, Westwood, Santa Monica, and Hollywood. You can find out which bus goes to which destination by checking the signs on the bus. FlyAway buses feature a sign for which location it serves. These buses offer non-stop transportation to these destinations.

Under normal conditions the bus to the center of Los Angeles from the airport takes about 35-40 minutes. However this can vary depending on the traffic conditions. Ticket prices are a bit more expensive than other public transportation alternatives but they are quite reasonable considering the fact that these buses provide practical and non-stop services. Those who wish can buy round-trip tickets, which are valid for 30 days. You can purchase tickets from the self-service ticket machines or pay with a credit card on the bus. Let us remind you that you cannot purchase a ticket with cash on the bus.  

Taxi

Taxis are available at the front of the arrivals hall of each terminal. If you follow the yellow taxi signs you can easily find the cab stop. Taxis are a bit costly but they are a comfortable method of transportation since they take you directly to where you need to go. As it is in many cities, if you are going to take a cab we recommend taking an official airport taxi.

Rental Car

Renting a car at Los Angeles International Airport is another convenient way to get to the city center. There are various rental car companies located in Parking Lot C, such as Dollar, Fox, Hertz, National Car Rental, Alamo, Avis, Advantage, Payless, Thrifty, and Budget. You can get to Parking Lot C by taking LAX Shuttle “C”. If you call head of time some rental car companies will send a vehicle and drive you to this parking lot for free. Renting a car is always a good choice for a more flexible travel itinerary. Los Angeles is a city that was made for driving, the roads are wide and parking is easy and convenient, so renting a car is a great option.

Weather in Los Angeles

DayMin - Max
WednesdayMin 13ºC - Max 29ºC
ThursdayMin 9ºC - Max 24ºC
FridayMin 8ºC - Max 23ºC
SaturdayMin 15ºC - Max 21ºC
SundayMin 15ºC - Max 20ºC

Frequently Asked Questions

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